[OTA] Space dementia in your eyes.

[semper_serviam]

New Year's Day was the same every year, really. For one night everyone seemed to have forgotten their limits when it came to drinking the night before and the Castle stirred late in the morning, groggy and hung over

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[acethatmatters]

Julien was not one to engage in drunken debauchery and even when he went to get drunk he tended to do so in privacy. So he's down in the kitchen at his customary time, raising an eyebrow at the mess being put to rights.

"I suppose I ought come back later."

[semper_serviam]

That's what happens when Iollan isn't here All The Time, and it gave him more reason not to feel inclined to leave. Nothing Good ever came of a kitchen trying to run itself.

"Not at all, m'lord Ace." Having the Ace of Spades in the kitchen would only serve to make nervous Twos and Threes get their act together.

"Do stay. Your meal is being prepared as we speak."

[acethatmatters]

Julien shoots a glance over at the nervous Twos and Threes who are supposedly preparing food before looking, somewhat skeptically, back at Iollan.

"If you insist, of course." And he will settle down in his customary chair at one of the tables. "I don't imagine there is some tea already, is there?"

[semper_serviam]

"Of course, sir." There was always tea in this kitchen. Tea and food and sometimes coffee, though there weren't many Chiveses who acknowledged the existence of coffee.

Iollan didn't prepare tea very often - Declán had more or less taken over that role - but it was not something that one easily forgot. There was already a warmed empty pot ready to go and a fresh pot was brewed for the Ace.

Tea was served in a cup and saucer. How splendid it was, to have and to serve a Proper Ace at a Proper Time In The Morning who didn't engage in New Year Foolishness - or at least, not to excess.

[acethatmatters]

Julien accepts the tea with a nod, relaxes a little as he sips it. "Thank you, Iollan. Very good."

Maybe not quite as good as the man's son would have made but, well, he wasn't that picky. Particularly not about tea, even if it had become a habit to have some every day like so many in the Castle.

"But don't let me keep you from your other duties..."

You know, unless there's someone that Iollan would like the Ace to put the fear of God into.

[semper_serviam]

He inclined his head and offered a fleeting smile that was nothing more than the slightest twitch of the lips. It was the least he could do for one of the More Sensible Castle Spades.

"You are most welcome to stay, m'lord." They were only co-ordinating lunch, and while it might have looked a little chaotic, everyone was in charge of different things and knew what they were doing.

"The kitchen is missing three staff today," Iollan reported. The disdain would have been obvious for the Ace to see even if he sounded quite deadpan and unaffected by it.

"One Hopes the rest of the Castle remains in order."

[acethatmatters]

It was less about staying, since they'd more or less already settled that and more about allowing Iollan to go back about his own work if he felt the need. But, having said it, Julien wouldn't push the dismissal as it wasn't necessary to do so.

"As much as can be expected, I suppose. And certainly more than some of the others." So he hears.

[semper_serviam]

Fortunately, the others were not Iollan's concern. Only the here and now. And he is at least comforted by the knowledge that things will resume Some Semblance of Normalcy over the next day or two.

A young Two interrupted them and Iollan excused himself to tend to another part of the kitchen. He'll be back later, if the Ace wanted more tea.